1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a play data recording apparatus for a keyed musical instrument for recording a musical performance of a keyed musical instrument such as a piano as play data onto a storage medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An automatic playing musical instrument such as an automatic playing piano which has been put into practical use in recent years commonly includes a play data recording apparatus and a play data reproduction apparatus. The play data recording apparatus produces play data in accordance with the outputs of sensors for detecting on/off operations and strengths of keying operations of keys and records the play data onto a storage medium such as a floppy disk. The play data reproduction apparatus reads out the play data recorded on the storage medium and drives solenoids for driving the keys in accordance with the play data thus read out to effect a musical performance.
In the play data recording apparatus, keying strength information detected by the sensors is stored as play data onto a storage medium of the recording apparatus. Since the keying strength depends upon the key operating speed, the key operating pressure or a like parameter, a measurement amount corresponding to the time of a keying operation, i.e., an operation of a key, the speed of the keying operation, the key operating pressure and/or a like parameter or parameters will be hereinafter referred to as keying strength information. Meanwhile, in the play data reproduction apparatus, the driving powers to the solenoids are determined so that, when the keying strength information is applied to them, they perform same keying operations as upon recording. Thus, upon reproduction, the play data stored on the storage medium are read out to operate the solenoids so that those keys which were operated upon recording are operated with the same strengths as upon recording.
With the above construction, a problem arises in that where the mounting positions or the detection method of the keying strength detection sensors mounted on the recording apparatus is changed, even if a keying operation takes place with a same strength, keying strength information detected is different. Consequently, if the reproduction apparatus remains as it was, keying strengths upon automatic playing are different from those upon recording, and accordingly, accurate reproduction of a musical performance cannot be achieved. Therefore, in order to reproduce a musical performance accurately, the design of the play data reproduction apparatus must be changed. Further, where the sensors or the detection method is different, since the keying strength information of play data recorded by the play data recording apparatus is different, the play data are not compatible and cannot be reproduced correctly by another automatic playing musical instrument having different sensors.